Acknowledge Me
by Vilsy
Summary: Beast Boy seems the type-that young boy who thirsts for recognition, acceptance, and even love. Obnoxious behavior is a sign of such desires, and is sometimes misconstrued for immaturity. Robin construes it as such, and Beast Boy takes a hiatus. Orig. cha


Teen Titans: Acknowledge Me... Chapter One  
  
Author's Note:  
  
I haven't written fan fiction in like... years. My recent interest (read: obsession) in Teen Titans has caused me to take another swing at it... I'm not good at writing disclaimers, because at the moment I am not motivated enough to dig around to find out all the copyright information regarding Teen Titans... so...  
  
Disclaimer: Blah blah blah... D.C. Comics... blah blah blah... I do not own stock in them.. blah blah.. do not take credit for Teen Titans characters.. blah blah... just paying homage... yadda yadda.  
  
Woot... so... here is the first chapter of a story I thought of on the fly... Beast Boy oriented because I love him so dearly... cough Beware of an original character that may appear in later chapters, although I usually frown upon such things... -- Enjoy! And do the R&R thing too. ;  
  
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Chapter One: I Just Wanna Score...  
  
Raven let out an exasperated sigh, like she always did when forced outside to the local park against her will. The sun and the noise were intrusive, and not very accommodating to her ritualistic meditation. She said cross-legged on a bench, eyes narrowed in their usual dark slits, blinking a few times as she watched her four companions standing some ways ahead of her in the grass. Another sigh escaped her lips and her dark eyes shifted upwards. Somewhere deep inside that enigmatic mind of hers, a small hope that something bad would happen existed. The peace that the city seemed to be enjoying had lasted almost a fortnight, and the Titans had not seen much crime-fighting action. While they all relished this to some degree, they were not used to the downtime.  
  
Raven, primarily, had trouble coping with all the free time the boys had found, which mostly encroached upon her personal space. Robin, as serious-minded as he was, seemed somewhat satisfied with the recent disappearance of Slade. Or perhaps he needed this downtime to recover from the recent events, which included him becoming Slade's right-hand man against his will. His training schedule had been cut down considerably, and he had much more time to male-bound with Cyborg and Beast Boy, and teach Starfire more earthling culture.  
  
Regardless, the past week or so had been spent binging on pizza and junk food, playing video games until all hours of the morning, and many other things that teenagers do that they just shouldn't. Well... a 'few' other things. cough  
  
This day was not much different. The five friends had migrated to their favorite park, picnic blanket and football in tow. Starfire was in perfect spirits, even more so than usual, and had prepared a special, nearly edible lunch for her friends. She smiled euphorically as she wrapped up the leftovers and carefully began placing them back into the picnic basket while Beast Boy lay sprawled out over the blanket beside her, holding his stomach. Robin and Cyborg had already grabbed up the football and were making some long passes back and forth a few yards away.  
  
"Beast Boy..." Starfire called out a moment later, looking at the changeling with a concerned expression. No answer. "Beast Boy...?"  
  
"Ughn..."  
  
Starfire quickly moved over towards her fellow Titan and gently pushed him with her hand. "Beast Boy, are you all right...?"  
  
"Wh-wha...?" Beast Boy, looking very full, opened his green eyes and blinked several times. He turned his head and looked at Starfire in a rather dazed manner. "What is it, Star? Is it time for dessert yet...?"  
  
Starfire smiled, though still showed concerned for Beast Boy's condition. "I am afraid that you have eaten all of the dessert already, friend Beast Boy. Are you well?"  
  
The younger boy sat up slowly and rubbed his belly, nodding slightly. "Oh yeah, I'm totally cool." He regained himself and turned to Starfire and smiled. "That was a great lunch by the way. Especially the vegetarian chili tofu burgers." =3  
  
Starfire made another expression of euphoria, as though making a satisfying lunch was her life-long dream. "You are very most welcome." She patted the picnic basket in triumph. "Perhaps you would like to try some more Tamaranian mogweed pudding? No one seemed to have eaten all of their portion."  
  
Beast Boy's eyes twitched for a moment, then he grinned widely, or tried to. "Ah haha, no thanks, Star. I'm full!" To emphasize this, he rubbed his tummy again.  
  
Starfire nodded and continued her rot-your-teeth-sweet smiling, when suddenly another voice broke into their conversation from afar. "Hey BB! Star! How about some football?"  
  
Beast Boy literally jumped at the opportunity presented by Robin, hopping to a crouching position, poised not unlike a cat. "Yeah, you bet!"  
  
Starfire floated up from her sitting position and nodded as well. "I would be delighted to join you in your rough-homing game."  
  
Robin remained silent for a moment, and then looked to Cyborg for some sort of analysis on the matter. Cyborg blinked at him, and then offered, "I think she means 'rough-housing'."  
  
Meanwhile, Beast Boy had sprung up from his position on the blanket and ran over to his fellow male Titans, bouncing around and skipping and otherwise acting like a fool. "Ooh, are we gunna be on teams? Huh?" He hopped twice on one foot, then dexterously, and rather swiftly, leapt onto Cyborg's back and grabbed him around the neck. "Can I be on your team, Cy? Can I?" he asked, offering a big toothy grin as he grabbed the ends of Cyborg's mouth with his hands, molding his face into some sort of surreal piece of art.  
  
Cyborg chuckled, or attempted to with his mouth stretched into an artificial smile, and then reached around with his massive arms in an effort to peel the green critter off of his back. With ease, Cyborg grabbed Beast Boy and flipped him around to his front, holding the much smaller boy under the arms like a doll. "Heh, man BB, you sure got an interesting way of—"  
  
Robin interrupted rather abruptly. "No way, Cyborg's on my team." Cyborg and Beast Boy looked over at the boy wonder, blinked a few times, then looked back at each other. Robin grinned slightly, somehow managing to spin the football on its end on his index finger. "You can be on Star's team."  
  
Beast Boy's lip curled into a position of disbelief. "Wha-?" Cyborg chuckled again and set his friend down on the ground. As soon as his shoes hit the grass, Beast Boy exploded into a frenzy involving flailing his arms and sputtering in Robin's general direction, "Dude! You always are on Cyborg's team! Robin, you're not fair! You always put me on Star's team! Duuude!!!"  
  
Robin just continued to grin as Starfire cut in, as she always did, by pouncing on Beast Boy and hugging him close in some odd pre-game ritual that she had devised herself. "Oh wonderful, friend Beast Boy! We are again the football buddies!"  
  
The changeling sweatdropped as he was pressed precariously against Starfire's torso. "Yeah. Football buddies."  
  
"... Honestly..."  
  
Raven had opened one eye to see how the pointless actions of her friends were getting on. Seeing the same old same old, she closed her eye and proceeded with her chanting.  
  
"Ok, I'll tell ya again, Star. Don't be afraid to knock down Robin. Uh..." Beast Boy looked over his shoulder at Robin and Cyborg who were conversing merrily a few paces away. "Cyborg uh... might be a little harder to take down but..." He looked direly at his teammate who was smiling wide at him, somewhat oblivious to what he was trying to tell her. Beast Boy sighed. "Just try your best, huh? You remember how to play... right?"  
  
Starfire nodded cheerfully. "Oh indeed." She ticked off the rules on her fingers. "We are to throw ourselves at Robin and Cyborg with utter abandon in order to retrieve the skin of the pig." Beast Boy sweatdropped again. "Once such requirements have been met, the holder of the skin of the pig must carry it swiftly in the other direction, and upon doing so, must toss it violently against the soil and do the dance of victory."  
  
Beast Boy was squatting down in another cat-like position, staring up at Star in amazement. "Uh... you make it sound so poetic, Star."  
  
All smiles. "Thank you!"  
  
"Are you two ready yet?" the slightly sarcastic voice of their fearless leader came.  
  
Beast Boy smirked and turned to glare at the opposition. He thinks he's so bad... just cuz he's got Cyborg on his team.. he thought to himself. He glanced back at the Tamaranian princess who was now floating a few inches off of the ground in anticipation. Well... Star isn't bad but... He went back to glaring at Robin and Cyborg who were now walking towards them. I can't help but think they get their jollies by sticking me on the 'girl's' team... He clenched a gloved fist and rose to his full height, turning his body around to face the other two boys. I'll show them. I'm just as good at football as they are...  
  
As noble a statement as it was, Beast Boy was way more focused on "showing them" than actually cooperating with Starfire. As the score neared 36 to 0 in favor of Cyborg and Robin, Beast Boy visibly stopped having "fun." He was crouching again, trying desperately to catch his breath after having been dragged about 10 yards, clutching to Cyborg's calf. Starfire had not been much help, as she could barely bring herself to even step in Robin or Cyborg's way for fear of "damaging" someone. She did, however, feel very bad that Beast Boy was seemingly suffering so much. She floated down next to him and assumed a kneeling position.  
  
"Beast Boy, are you damaged?" she asked in her caring voice.  
  
The green one merely huffed and puffed at her a few times before his emerald eyes lifted to hers. "Star... we gotta score somehow... huff huff ... can't... let them beat us... I... I gotta show them... I'm not... a loser..."  
  
Starfire blinked several times at this statement. "A... loser?"  
  
Beast Boy clenched his teeth and closed his eyes. "Yeah! I won't be a loser!" Having declared this, he rose to his feet and turned to Robin and Cyborg who were congratulating each other on their latest touchdown. "Gimme the ball, Robin!"  
  
Robin gave Cyborg one last pat on the shoulder before turning and glaring at Beast Boy, lifting an eyebrow. "Don't you guys wanna call it quits already?"  
  
The green one clenched both fists and yelled out a response. "Just gimme the stupid ball!"  
  
"Ok ok, here," Robin said as he flipped the football in an upward arc in Beast Boy's direction. The changeling snatched it out of the air and stomped back towards Starfire who looked quite concerned again.  
  
"Friend Beast Boy, is something wrong...?" she inquired as he stomped up to her. "No. Here." He shoved the football into her hands. "Just throw it as far as you can. To me. We have to score again... gotta show them that I can be just as good as they are." "But—"It was too late. The changeling had already walked away towards their opponents who were lined up next to each other, confident smirks on both of their faces. Beast boy scowled at the both of them, looking from on face to the other as they hunched over. Starfire seemed a bit nervous, but called out the word that she had been practicing saying for the whole game. "Hike!"  
  
Robin grinned, ready to use his uncanny agility to nab Beast Boy early, but his expression changed when his short opponent suddenly became even shorter. "Hey!" he heard Cyborg declare as a small green rabbit made a mad dash through the half-man's legs. "No fair, BB!" Both he and Robin turned around to attempt to pursue the pint-sized critter that was already several yards away from them.  
  
The bunny, in mid-sprint, suddenly morphed back into Beast Boy's form who looked back to see what Starfire was doing. "Throw it, Star! Now!"  
  
"All... all right," he heard her reply from way off in the distance. She flew up a few feet before lobbing the football as hard as she could.  
  
A toothy grin formed on Beast Boy's face as, to his delight, the ball flew precisely in his direction and was coming down at a good angle. "Good job, Star," he said to himself as he began running backwards with hands outstretched and eyes to the sky. "This is gonna be great... I'll show them... They'll see... they'll want me on their team next time..."  
  
Just as the "skin of the pig" fell beautifully into his gloved hands, Beast Boy turned back around to see how far he was from the gym sock that signified the goal. Only a few more feet, and he would have proved that he could out-maneuver his fellow boy Titans and be worth picking for their team. But not even this simple victory would come to pass, as he suddenly felt his legs get swept up from under him. "No!" he cried out as the ball slipped from his fingers and flew off in some other direction, just as his chin hit the grass hard.  
  
He opened his eyes and saw a ladybug crawling along a blade of grass that was just under his nose. He blinked and realized what had happened. "Hehe, nice try Beast Boy, but you were just a little too slow." Robin's confident voice burned into Beast Boy's ears like wildfire, and the little changeling gritted his teeth together and slammed his fist against the earth.  
  
"Damn it!" he cursed, smashing both hands into the grass and wrenching out of Robin's grasp. Whether or not he inadvertently squished the ladybug is a mystery unsolved to this day. He moved his leg in such a way, after he regained his footing, which almost seemed to be a kick aimed to knock Robin backwards after he had let go.  
  
Robin noticed the sudden rage in his shape-shifting friend and drew up to a kneeling position. "Beast Boy... what..."  
  
Before he could continue, the green one professed his anger by letting out another curse and booting the football with an unseen source of brute strength. Cyborg and Starfire both stared as the football sailed over their heads and clear out of the park toward the busy street. Robin's eyes were wide and incredulous for quite some time, then narrowed and turned to the punter.  
  
"Beast Boy! What the hell did you do that for?" he barked, pointing in the direction of the lost football. "You idiot!"  
  
Cyborg, though impressed by the athletic feat, marched up to the changeling and let him have it as well. "Nice going, BB! Leave it to you to lose another one of my things!"  
  
Beast Boy crossed his arms obstinately and made a rather huffy face at the well-built (quite literally) Cyborg. "Who cares about your dumb old football?"  
  
Robin scowled and stormed over to the smaller boy, grabbing him by the spandex-y fabric that clung to his chest. "Why do you always do stuff like this? What's your problem?" Beast Boy grabbed Robin's wrist with his hand and wrenched his shirt out of the boy wonder's grasp defiantly. "Just shut up! Don't touch me!"  
  
Robin lifted an eyebrow and Starfire reluctantly drew nearer, preparing to put a stop to a fight before it began. But Robin already threw the deciding punch. He moved even closer to Beast Boy, and although he was only a tad bit taller, he managed to loom over the other boy in an intimidating manner. He pointed towards the street. "Go get the ball, now!"  
  
"Make me!"  
  
Robin went to grab at Beast Boy's shirt again, but the smaller boy sidestepped the advance. "I will if I have to," he growled in his throat, making another attempt for a grab, but managing to shove Beast Boy a few feet instead. "Stop acting like an immature little brat!"  
  
The changeling staggered backwards and clenched his fist, looking Robin direly in the face. "Then stop treating me like one!"  
  
Robin's mouth opened to say something else, but nothing came out. It did not matter anyway, because Beast Boy had already pushed past him and started running towards the street.  
  
Starfire reached out her hand to try to stop him, but Beast Boy evaded her as well. "Beast Boy! Wait!" she called, but he ignored her and kept running. Though her instincts, Starfire lifted off the ground and began to pursue her friend, but Robin hastily blocked her path by holding out his arm. She gasped and looked at him in question.  
  
"No Star... leave him be..."  
  
Cyborg took a few steps towards the two of them. "May have gone too far this time, Rob... he's just a kid after all..."  
  
Robin said nothing. Raven was blissfully unaware. Or so she led on...  
  
Beast Boy could not find the football. Or rather, Beast Boy did not bother looking for the football. Instead he ran across the busy intersection and made his way up a main street. He was violently combating with huge tears that were welling up in his eyes, and he noticed a pedestrian or two staring at him. With another scowl, he hastily shifted into the form of a cat and took a detour into an alley. Cats don't cry... he thought as he scampered down the alley and leapt onto a trashcan, then dug his claws into a wooden fence and scaled it with ease. He landed, assuredly, on his feet on the other side and continued running to who knows where. He finally slowed to a stop in front of a store. He looked up at the sign, which read: Braindead Games – closed for renovations.  
  
Man, one of his favorite video game stores... closed down. Today was a bad day. Although he was a cat, and really physically could not... the urge to cry was still great within him. He resigned himself to lie in a cardboard box and stare off into the distance. He often did such things when he wanted to better understand the life of city animals, or when he wanted to become scarce to his Titan companions... just like now. His eyelids began to droop and he allowed himself to catnap, so to speak. He was not concerned about dogs or any such predator... if one came around he would simply turn back to normal... or into something more terrifying than a kitty cat. But right now... he wanted to be someone, or something else... to be far away... just to sleep... and be wanted in his dreams...  
  
To better suit his mood, the fates decided to rain down upon him. The once white clouds grew darker and moved in upon one another. Eventually they split open and a light drizzle fell over Jump City. No dogs came to harass him, but he would not foresee another unexpected creature that peered into his box...  
  
To be continued... and stuff.  
  
Hope this wasn't too bland... I like excessive description, but only when describing characters. Um... Beast Boy being angsty... shall meet another angsty critter. Huzzah! 


End file.
